It is well known in the boating art to use some type of a bumper system to absorb the force generated when a first boat moves against another object (typically a dock or another vessel in order to prevent damage. While there exist various types of bumper systems, the most common type of bumper system is the fender style bumper. The most common type of fender style bumper has a generally cylindrical shape made from plastic with a generally hollow interior region and is placed between the boat and the other object (most often a dock). As the boat moves towards the dock, the momentum of the boat compresses the fender bumper thereby absorbing the momentum and reducing the impact against experienced by both the boat and the dock.
While the traditional fender bumper is generally effective, it does suffer from several disadvantages. One such disadvantage is that the fender bumpers are typically bulky and must be stored within the vessel when not in use. Since three or more fender bumpers are often needed to properly prevent damage, the fender bumpers often take up much needed storage space.
Another disadvantage of the fender style bumpers is that they are often difficult and time consuming to properly arrange. Large docks and piers 1, FIG. 1, often use very large diameter, generally cylindrical wooden pylons 2. These pylons 2 are often arranged along the outer edge 3 of the dock 1. In order to prevent damage to either the dock 1 or the vessel 5, the fender bumpers 4 must be secured to the pylons 2 between the dock 1 and the vessel 5. Because both the pylons 2 and the fender bumpers 4 are both cylindrical, the natural movement of the vessel 5 often causes the fender bumpers 5 to roll or move out of place thus increasing the potential for damage to the dock 1 and/or the vessel 5. While it is sometimes possible to secure the fender bumpers 4 to the pylons 2 in a manner to prevent the fender bumpers 4 from moving, this is very difficult and very time consuming.
Another common bumper system includes a dock bumper strip. The bumper strip generally includes a shock absorbing material that is placed and permanently secured along the like contact area of a dock, for example, along a pylon or along the outer edge of the dock. Unlike the fender bumpers described above, the benefit to a dock bumper strip is that there is no need to store bulky bumpers.
However, bumper strips also suffer from several disadvantages. Firstly, in order to take advantage of the benefit of bumper strips (i.e., not having to store fender bumpers), a boater must know ahead of time whether their destination is equipped with bumper strips. Because the benefit of the bumper strips is that the boater does not need to carry along fender bumpers, the boater must make sure that their destination is in fact equipped with bumper strips. In the event the boater is mistaken and the destination does not have bumper strips or their destination changes after leaving port, then the boater is left without any way of preventing damage to their vessel. Moreover, because bumper strips are secured to a dock, bumper strips are not useful when securing a first vessel to an adjacent vessel (commonly referred to as hotelling).
Accordingly, what is needed is an easy to use method and apparatus of protecting a vessel from damage. The method and apparatus should be capable of repeatedly absorbing the force generated by wind, waves, and movement. The method and apparatus should preferably work in virtually all situations and should not require the user to know the specific details of their destination ahead of time. Additionally, the method and apparatus should preferably not take up much needed storage space within the vessel.
It is important to note that the present invention is not intended to be limited to a system or method which must satisfy one or more of any stated objects or features of the invention. It is also important to note that the present invention is not limited to the preferred, exemplary, or primary embodiment(s) described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the following claims.